Two solid weeks of training made the two women weary, but Tai was amazed on how strong Cythera was as a warrior. She was able to beat Tai in one out of four wrestling matches, give a nasty punch, and kncok the sword out of her hands.
Gary had told her of his attraction to Cythera, but getting inforamtion from the blonde was harder than smashing bricks bare-handed. She was a wall, able to blank out her face from all emotion.
Her friendship with Raoul began to grow as well. The man helped her improve her archery and sword-fighting, things she passed on to Cythera at night. He introduced her to several of the younger knights, and to Numair, the new mage, who helped her with her Gift.
The trials for replenishing the ranks of the King's Own fell exactly a month after Tai and Thera began their training. The two arrived at the yards with their swords in hand.
"Come to watch?" Raoul asked the two women. He had no other idea why they would be there.
"No, she has come to apply," Thera replied.
=======================================================================
Raoul looked like he would die, Gary laughed so hard he fell off the fence. Even the King and Queen Thayet looked amused. "So, you two noble ladies think you can join us?" a bazhir said. He spat, and looked at them for signs of disgust. "You ought to get back to the veil and your man.
"Now see here you prissy..." Tai was stopped short by Cythera.
"You must offer us a chance," Thera looked into the King's eyes so forcefully he had to look at the ground. "If you allow girls to be knights, girls must also be allowed as soldiers, it is only fair."
"I could offer you a place in the Queen's Ladies. You will fight there." Thayet gave them a smile. Jon layed a hand on her arm.
"With my cousin, that won't be good enough. But I have learned better in my years. I think we should give them a chance."
It was a day of beating and bruising. Tai ended up with more injuries than what she gave. It was a grueling week. Raoul and Thera tried to get her to see a healer, but she refused and relieved the pain herself.
There were many judges to the rough and tumbling. King Jonathan was one, Geoffrey, Douglass, Sacherell, and several other knights. They grinned everytime she grimaced and was close to taking them out instead of those competing with her. After the last day, the group announced that they had chosen.
=======================================================================
Tai cleaned up, healing the more visible bruises slightly, and bandaging her right ankle. She saw how bedraggled she looked and grinned. She limped to the study, where msot of the other applicants stood. Some glared, other smiled. Jonathan stood in the front and everyone looked toward him.
"This was a hard week for everyone," Jonathan started as Tai began to sit down. She yelped slightly as her bruised behind hit the hard stone. A few people twittered. She glared as she used her Gift to create padding. Even her cousin was grinning.
"As I was saying, the King's Own was created to have the best soldiers in the realm, be they Knight and noble born, or commoner. It takes a lot of work to be a specialized unit, mapping skills, history, even a bit of magic sometimes."
Tai wished they would spit it out. Name after name was read. She sighed. One position left. She was about to kill. "Our most unusual applicant taught most of you men this week that size doesn't matter. That skill and planning make up for it. And I will let Raoul announce this."
"Trying to steal my thunder your Highness?" Raoul inquired. He walked over to the bruised and beaten Tai. "You made it. Congratulations."
She attempted to get up, but Raoul had to haul her to her feet. He lead her and the rest of the King's Own to eat right under the King and Queen.
=======================================================================
Gary lead Cythera for a walk under the stars. She giggled at the stories he told and she delighted him with her voice.
"I want to thank you for befriending my sister," he said, voice deep and thick with anxiety. She smiled.
"I found her independent. Her dress is now worn by all the ladies of Court. And I find it wonderful that you are her brother."
"What do you mean?" Gary asked, bewildered. She smiled at him
"Come up to my rooms and I will show you." He wasted no time arguing.
=======================================================================
Raoul and Tai walked through the palace, trading small talk. "...And that is how I got stuck teaching the children basic magic." Raoul roared with laugher. The two stared at each other until Raoul leaned down and kissed her. Tai's eyes widened, and she pushed him away. "No!" she cried, and ran back to her rooms, as she flopped on her bed and sobbed. Raoul stood for a long time, wondering.
~~Next Chapter~~
Gary had told her of his attraction to Cythera, but getting inforamtion from the blonde was harder than smashing bricks bare-handed. She was a wall, able to blank out her face from all emotion.
Her friendship with Raoul began to grow as well. The man helped her improve her archery and sword-fighting, things she passed on to Cythera at night. He introduced her to several of the younger knights, and to Numair, the new mage, who helped her with her Gift.
The trials for replenishing the ranks of the King's Own fell exactly a month after Tai and Thera began their training. The two arrived at the yards with their swords in hand.
"Come to watch?" Raoul asked the two women. He had no other idea why they would be there.
"No, she has come to apply," Thera replied.
=======================================================================
Raoul looked like he would die, Gary laughed so hard he fell off the fence. Even the King and Queen Thayet looked amused. "So, you two noble ladies think you can join us?" a bazhir said. He spat, and looked at them for signs of disgust. "You ought to get back to the veil and your man.
"Now see here you prissy..." Tai was stopped short by Cythera.
"You must offer us a chance," Thera looked into the King's eyes so forcefully he had to look at the ground. "If you allow girls to be knights, girls must also be allowed as soldiers, it is only fair."
"I could offer you a place in the Queen's Ladies. You will fight there." Thayet gave them a smile. Jon layed a hand on her arm.
"With my cousin, that won't be good enough. But I have learned better in my years. I think we should give them a chance."
It was a day of beating and bruising. Tai ended up with more injuries than what she gave. It was a grueling week. Raoul and Thera tried to get her to see a healer, but she refused and relieved the pain herself.
There were many judges to the rough and tumbling. King Jonathan was one, Geoffrey, Douglass, Sacherell, and several other knights. They grinned everytime she grimaced and was close to taking them out instead of those competing with her. After the last day, the group announced that they had chosen.
=======================================================================
Tai cleaned up, healing the more visible bruises slightly, and bandaging her right ankle. She saw how bedraggled she looked and grinned. She limped to the study, where msot of the other applicants stood. Some glared, other smiled. Jonathan stood in the front and everyone looked toward him.
"This was a hard week for everyone," Jonathan started as Tai began to sit down. She yelped slightly as her bruised behind hit the hard stone. A few people twittered. She glared as she used her Gift to create padding. Even her cousin was grinning.
"As I was saying, the King's Own was created to have the best soldiers in the realm, be they Knight and noble born, or commoner. It takes a lot of work to be a specialized unit, mapping skills, history, even a bit of magic sometimes."
Tai wished they would spit it out. Name after name was read. She sighed. One position left. She was about to kill. "Our most unusual applicant taught most of you men this week that size doesn't matter. That skill and planning make up for it. And I will let Raoul announce this."
"Trying to steal my thunder your Highness?" Raoul inquired. He walked over to the bruised and beaten Tai. "You made it. Congratulations."
She attempted to get up, but Raoul had to haul her to her feet. He lead her and the rest of the King's Own to eat right under the King and Queen.
=======================================================================
Gary lead Cythera for a walk under the stars. She giggled at the stories he told and she delighted him with her voice.
"I want to thank you for befriending my sister," he said, voice deep and thick with anxiety. She smiled.
"I found her independent. Her dress is now worn by all the ladies of Court. And I find it wonderful that you are her brother."
"What do you mean?" Gary asked, bewildered. She smiled at him
"Come up to my rooms and I will show you." He wasted no time arguing.
=======================================================================
Raoul and Tai walked through the palace, trading small talk. "...And that is how I got stuck teaching the children basic magic." Raoul roared with laugher. The two stared at each other until Raoul leaned down and kissed her. Tai's eyes widened, and she pushed him away. "No!" she cried, and ran back to her rooms, as she flopped on her bed and sobbed. Raoul stood for a long time, wondering.
~~Next Chapter~~